CHRISTINE ANDREWS has been an instructor and professional performer of bellydance since 1990. The roots of her ethnic dance experience began in 1988 with the study of Turkish and Egyptian sytle bellydance. With that foundation, she combines North African, Central Asian, and Indian Gypsy dance to create a beautifully elaborate and unique dance form. Christine enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with artists from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines. She has taught and performed with ensembles in India and across the United States. ILONA AUTH has been studying yoga for more than 5 years and has spent much of her practice time at Breathe. She received her Teacher Training Certificate from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram in Kerala, India in 2006. In addition to yoga, she loves cooking, photography, books, and travel. She is very excited to be back home in Pittsburgh after spending one year teaching English in Thailand! LILITH BAILEY-KROLL began teaching yoga in 1999 after completing a two-year teacher training program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. Trained in the BKS Iyengar method, Lilith focuses on proper alignment, precise movements, and the modification of poses selected to meet the needs of her students. Iyengar instructors are trained to address personal goals related to therapeutics and body performance, including improvements in strength, focus, flexibility, and tone. Because of this attention to detail, Iyengar yoga is a good form of yoga for people with back, neck, or joint pain. Lilith has practiced yoga since her teens and continues to find the teaching of Iyengar yoga rewarding and inspiring. She opened her own studio, Pratique Therapeutic Yoga, in April of 2006. MELISSA BIGLEY was first introduced to yoga in 1998 when she took a beginner yoga class through CCAC. After that class, she began a regular practice at Yoga Sadhana Studio where she began Ashtanga yoga classes with her most influential teacher, Angelique Sneeden. Furthering her study of Ashtanga yoga, Melissa has also studied with David Swenson. She completed a 200 hour Hatha teacher training program in 2005. When she is not on her mat, Melissa enjoys walking, Pilates, and spending time with her husband and three small children. MAGGIE BORZA-PETRIE, hopes to bring the feelings of peace and calm she found through yoga to all of the students in her classes. She first discovered Yoga in January of 2003 and began taking classes at CCAC with her husband Phil. She developed a passion for her practice and in 2005, removed herself from the stress of corporate life and has been devoted to pursuing the life journey into Yoga full-time. In December, 2006 she completed the 200 hour Teacher Training program at YOGA H'OM and is registered with the Yoga Alliance. Maggie has attended several local workshops and is excited to continue her studies and share her passion for Yoga with her students. She also enjoys art, music, family, friends and spending time with Phil and their dog Utah in the great the outdoors. REBECCA DREXLER, E-RYT began her study of yoga in 2002. Her first instructor, Margaret Burns-Vap, introduced her to Ashtanga Yoga, and she instantly fell in love with the increased energy and flexibility. Since then, Rebecca has studied with Doug Swenson, Manuso Manos, and Rodney Yee. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200 hour level. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys cooking and reading Ted Bell novels. LORI GRABLE, RYT was first introduced to yoga in 2000 at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center in California, where she became a regular student. Her love of yoga became stronger in 2003 when she traveled the country, taking classes at many studios, before relocating to Pittsburgh. Upon moving to Pittsburgh, Lori began a regular practice at Breathe Yoga Studio and completed a Yoga Alliance 200 hour teaching certification in 2006. Her teaching is Hatha based and is influenced by Vinyasa Flow. Lori is particularly interested in the healing effects of yoga. Outside of the studio, Lori does social work at a local nonprofit agency. She enjoys art, music, outdoor activity and spending time with her husband. TERRY GUSTAS, RYT began her yoga practice in 1997 in an effort to ease chronic back pain. Terry completed her yoga certification through Yoga Alliance as a multi-style teacher in 2003. A true student of yoga, she has studied with many teachers in a variety of styles: Joan White (Iyengar), Rodney Yee (Iyengar influence /Vinyasa flow), Todd Norian (Anusara), Naresh Ron King (Kripalu), Beryl Bender Birch (Ashtanga), and Paul Grilley (Yin). In addition to yoga, Terry is also certified in Pilates through Bally Total Fitness. Terry is currently pursuing her 500 hour yoga certification through Kripalu, as well as a degree in Nursing in the Pittsburgh area. When she is not practicing, teaching, or studying, she enjoys running and playing tennis, and caring for her family - 2 daughters, 2 kitties, and a Shiba Inu. Her major pursuit is to empower her students to live more peacefully in their bodies through the practice of yoga following a path of holistic health, sound fitness, and spiritual enlightenment. MARIA HAMER has studied, taught, and performed as a belly dancer since the spring of 1992. Her main focus is on Turkish and Egyptian belly dance disciplines, but she fuses and blends stylization and gestures of other eastern dance forms and modern western culture to create a very complex and vibrant performance. Her study of Bellydance began with classes from her sister Christine Andrews, later having taken workshops and classes with some of the most famed bellydancers in America being mostly inspired by the works of Jill Parker and Ultra Gypsy as well a the teachings of Suhaila Salimpour. She began her professional career as a bellydancer in 1995 with the Ghawazee Middle Eastern Music and Dance Ensemble. In 2000, she and her dance peers, Christine Andrews and Olivia Kissel, started Zafira Dance Company. Maria teaches and performs throughout the United States. Maria's photo credit: Dale Langdon. TASHA KIMBALL has studied capoeira since 2002 under the instruction of Professor Coquinho at Seattle's Grupo Axe Capoeira Academy. As part of this training, Tasha practiced capoeira with groups in Bolivia and Argentina, and at events in Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver Canada, and in Latin America. In addition to her class at Breathe she currently teaches capoeira classes for University of Pittsburgh students on the school campus. Her training focuses primarily on the capoeira regional and benguela styles, but includes some capoeira angola as well. Tasha also practices dance and art forms that are part of capoeira training, such as maculele and samba. OLIVIA KISSEL has studied Middle Eastern and tribal dance since 1995. She teaches and performs with Zafira Dance Company at festivals around the country. Olivia works to transform Indian, Central Asian, Middle Eastern and North African dance styles into dynamic performances that appeal to a western aesthetic and inspire women and men alike. In 1999 she traveled to Morocco to study and document community and dance forms. In addition to her activities in dance, she holds down a day job as an art teacher with the Carnegie Museum of Art's Stories in Art Project. Olivia lives with her daughter Fawn in Pittsburgh's East End. Olivia's photo credit: Rachel Zubrow. SUSIE POPOVICH was introduced to yoga with the Ashtanga Primary Series in 2000. Since then, she has received the 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Teaching Certification through "It's Yoga" in Columbus, OH and is registered with The Yoga Alliance. When not sharing her love of yoga with others, Susie works as a make-up artist. She loves bird watching, traveling to sunny places, and hiking with her husband Carmon, and their dog Ivy. KRISTI ROGERS, RYT was first introduced to yoga through her sister. Several years later in early 2002, she took her first yoga class and her life hasn't been the same since! Later that year, Kristi left the stresses of the corporate world behind and a renewed lifestyle influenced by yoga now leads the way. In the spring of 2004, Kristi and her husband (& fellow yogi), Jody Schurman, opened Breathe Yoga Studio. In June 2005, she completed her 200 hour certification at Yoga H'om with Donna Dyer (her very first yoga instructor and a wonderful influence & inspiration!). Kristi enjoys sharing the practice of yoga with new students, hoping to inspire them with the healthy, calming, life improving benefits which she has discovered through yoga. In her free time she likes to travel, read, spend time with her family, and dream about home renovations! JONI STURGILL, RYT has been practicing and studying yoga and meditation since 1999. Her dedicated practice led her to start teaching in 2005. She completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training program through the 3rd Street Yoga School and has additional training from multiple conferences and workshops taught by Rodney Yee, Judith Lasater, Desiree Rumbaugh, Bhavani Lorraine Nelson, and other respected yoga & meditation teachers. HEIDI ZELLIE, CYT/RYA, had her first experience with yoga in 1999. After studying on her own for 4 years, she deepened her knowledge and practice by completing a 250-hour RYA certification based in the Iyengar tradition from Lighten Up! yoga studio in Asheville, NC. In her teaching, Heidi compliments the safety and structural alignment of Iyengar yoga with the flow and movement of all things natural. She teaches from her heart, ensuring her students’ comfort and easing their growth. In addition to group classes, Heidi enjoys teaching private yoga sessions in which she often integrates her Thai Yoga Massage certification. Heidi finds that yoga keeps her balanced and energized as she works to make the world more sustainable, healthier and spirited. Practicing and living this ancient art form also makes her more aware of the people and energy around her, deepens her breath and keeps her flexible in mind and body. Enlivened to be back home, returning to her roots in Western PA, Heidi espouses to the mantra: Breathe Deeply, Feel Light, Shine On. NICOLE ZELLIE, RYT and Certified YogaRhythmics® instructor began her study of yoga over 10 years ago with Senior Iyengar teacher Marian Garfinkel. She found that yoga transformed not only her body, but her mind, spirit and her entire life in such a positive way that her teaching career began to unfold from there. She received her 200 hour certification at Lourdes Wholistic Institute in Collingswood, NJ - a Kripalu based school - where she also began to teach. In addition to teaching at several yoga studios across Southern NJ and Philadelphia, she opened her own small studio, the White Horse Wellness Center. Nicole received her certification in YogaRhythmics® with founder Connie Miller and has taught its fun and invigorating classes in juvenile detention centers, corporate workplaces, and to special education teachers. She has studied with Debra Ann Robinson, Kali Ray, Manju Jois and Duncan Wong (her favorite teacher for his dynamic Yogicarts classes!). Nicole now brings her eclectic background of knowledge, warmth, & love of yoga to Pittsburgh - her hometown area and her dynamic personality comes through in her YogaRhythmics® classes. She is forever grateful to all of her teachers and students over the years!